Headlight socket



April 29, 1941- H. H. CLAYTQN 2,239,878-

' HEADLIGHT SOCKET 1 Filed Oct. 20, 19:59

' seating action of the terminal hole or indentation in the conductor blade.

Patented Apr. 29, 1941 HEADLIGHT sooner Harold H. Clayton, Logansport, Ind., assignor to R-B-M Manufacturing Company, Logansport, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application October 20, 1939, Serial No. 300,314 6 Claims. (01. 173-328) My invention relates generally to sockets for receiving and holding the prongs or conductor blades of headlight lamps and the like, and it has particular relation to such socket wherein terminals of tubular construction having a longitudinal slot running therethrough with an irregular edge are used.

Sockets for automobile headlights and the like should be of as simple and economical construction as'possible while still being of the proper design for securely holding lamps or bulbs under drawing and comprises the features of constructhe conditions of vibration and jars incident to the operation of automobiles. ,It will be understood, however, that my invention is not limited specifically to automobile lighting fixtures but may be used wherever else its particular advantages are desired.

An important object of my invention is to securely hold a conductor blade or prong against jars and shaking by concentrating the entire clamping force of a terminal or tubular section having a slot running longitudinally therethrough at localized point on the conductor blade or prong, the localized point being a holeor indentation designed to receive and seat a projection of the terminal.

'Another important object of my invention is to provide a terminal having a tubular section with a slot running longitudinally therethrough with a projection along the edge of the slot by which the clamping force of the entire tubular section when spread by an inserted conductor blade or prong may be concentrated against the blade.

Another object of my invention is to provide a terminal of tubular section with a slot running longitudinally therethrough and having a a projection on an edge thereof wherein the'entire clamping or spring action of the tubular section grips bulb prongs or conductor blades with sufficient intensity to hold against vibration, suf-' ficient friction being exerted when the prongs or blades are inserted in the slot to clean the surface and obtain good electrical contact between the blade and the terminal, and having-a looking action which tends to resist removal of the lamp under normal conditio ,by virtue of the projection in a Another object of my invention is to provide a socket for headlight lamps and the like wherein terminals of the above construction are utistill anotheri object of myinvention is to provide an ordinary household socket plug wherein structions hereinafter set forth embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying tion, combination of elements, andarrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the conand the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of my invention, referencemay be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in whichr Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of a terminal illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a headlight socket incorporating the terminal as shown in Figure l of the drawing;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a view", taken on line 4-4 of Fig. ure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a headlight lamp or bulb adapted to be held in the socket shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of a household socket or plug having terminals of the type shown-in Figure 1- of the drawing forming another embodiment of my invention; and

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the socket of Figure 6. r

,Referring now to Figure 1- of the drawing, a terminal is designated generally at I 0 illustrating one embodiment of my invention. The terininal I ll is of thin metal and comprises a tubular section H with a bifurcated section indicated generally at i2 extending therefrom. The bifurcated end l2 comprises a small fork l3 and a larger fork l4. around a conductor l5 while the fork it is curled around the insulation covering ,IG of the conductor l5, as shown. The bifurcated end 12 provides a verysatisfactory means for attaching or connecting a conductorto the terminal Ill. A slot I! is provided running lengthwise through the tubular section II and having a projection It on one of the edges thereof. A conductor blade or prong l9 maybe inserted into the terminal ill;- as shown, having'suificient width-"seas to spread the tubular sectiodll somewhat A: hole 20 may The small fork I3 is curled minal Ill of Figure 1 of the be provided in the prong or blade in which the projection I8 may seat. In place of the hole 20, the blade I9'may be dented instead. The hole 20, or dent, serves to more securely retain the blade or prong I9 in the terminal IIL. It will be observed that when the blade IB is inserted in the 'slot I! the entire clamping force, due to the spreading of the tubular section II, is concentrated against the blade I9 by theprojection l8. The clamping pressure will be relatively high since the area is small and the blade I9 will be firmly gripped. Another feature is that when the blade I9 is inserted into the terminal Hi, the projection,l8 will dig or press into the blade I9 thereby securing a clean metal to metal contact to give good conductive relationship. Having the entire clamping force of the relatively long-tu- 'in, as best shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

Terminals 28.are provided in each of the pockets 21 .to which are attached conductors 29 as shown. The conductors 29 are attached to the terminals 28 at the bifurcated end as described above in connection with terminal III of Figure 1 of the drawing. In order to keep the terminals 28 in place and complete the socket 25, an end of the drawing, a'socket is automobiles and the vided over the end of the cap 50 and the socket assembly 40 is held together by a screw 54 having a contact head 55. The contact'head 55 bears against the contact end 46 of the terminal 43.

Apertures 56 are provided in the top of the housing M for registering with the slots in the ter-.

minals 43 and 44 through which the prongs or conducting blades of an electrical attachment may be inserted. It will be noted that the terminals 43 and 44 are electrically insulated and that the cap 5ll'and the contact head 55 provide the terminals of the socket '40;

. p y n description shall be interpreted as illustrative.

or both edges of the slot ll.

memberof insulation is provided over the end of the housing 26, as shown. A thin metal member 3| passing-through the centers of the housing 26 and end member 30 with the ends overturned holds the assembly together. Apertures 32 are provided in the'top of the housing 26 registering with the slots of. the terminals 28 for receiving conductor blades or prongs.

Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawing, a headlight lamp or bulb is designated generally at 35 of a'type for use in connection with the socket 25 of Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the dnawing. The lamp 35 has three projecting conductor blades or prongs 36 attached to the end thereof which fit into corresponding terminals 28 through the aperture 32 in the housing 26. The socket 2.5 holds the lamp 35 securely in place against jarring and vibration.

With a view of adapting my'invention to sockets or plugs such as those commonly inuse in houses and the like, reference may be had now to Since certain further changes may be made in the foregoing constructions and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accomdrawing or set forth in.the foregoing and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. Electrical interconnecting means comprising, in combination, a conductor blade, a tubular section with a slot running longitudinally therethrough and adapted, to have said conductor blade pushed therein, said slot having a project ing portion at which the clamping force of the entire tubular section is exerted against said conductor blade, and a bifurcated section extending integrally from said tubular section one fork ofwhich is curled around a metal conductor while the other fork is curled around the insulation covering of said metal conductor.

2. A socket for lamps and the like having projecting conducting blades comprising, in combination, aplurality of terminals having tubular sections with slots running longitudinally there- -through for receiving conductorblades, said slotshaving projecting portions at which the clamping forces of the entire tubular sections are concentrated against said inserted conductor blades which spread said tubular sections, a housing of insulation having pockets-for receiving said terminals, a cover plate for retaining said terminals in said pockets, and means for holding said housing and cover plate assembly together, said pockets being provided with apertures registering with Y said slots for receiving said conductor blades and 1 tion comprising, in combination, an insulator Figures 6 and 7 of the drawing wherein one modification of such a socket is indicated generally at 40. The socket 40 comprises a housing 4| of insulation with pockets 42 provided therein. Terminals 43 and 44 are provided in the pockets 42. The terminal 43 comprises a slotted tubular section 45 and a flat contact end 46 extending therefrom as shown. The terminal 44 likewise comprises ajtubular section 41 with a shorter contact end 48. A thin metal threaded cap, 50 is provided over the end of the housing 4| with an aperture 5I through which the contact and 46 passes. A tab 52 is stamped in the bottom of the cap50 for clamping over the contact end 48 as shown. An end member of insulation 53 ls-proindividually guiding the same into said slots.

3. A socket for lamps and the like having projecting conductor blades for electrical connechousing having pockets therein, terminals disposed in said pockets each having a tubular section with a slot running longitudinally therethrough and adapted to have a conductor blade pushed therein, said slot having a projecting portion at which the clamping force of the entire tubular section is exerted against said conductor blade, and a bifurcated section extending integrally from said tubular. section one fork of which is curled around a metal conductor while the other fork is curled around the insulation covering of said metal conductor, a cover plate for retaining said terminals in said pockets, and means for holding said housing and cover plate assembly together, said pockets'being provided with apertures registering with said slots for receiving said conductor blades and individually guiding the same into said slots.

4. A socket for lamps and the like having projecting conducting blades comprising, in combination, a pair of terminals having longitudinally slotted tubular sections for receiving conducting blades therein, said slots having projecting portions at which the clamping forces of the entire tubular sections are concentrated against said inserted blades which serve to spread said tubular sections, a housing of insulation having pockets for said terminals, blade apertures in the top of said housing registering with said slots for receiving and individually guiding said blades into said slots, a thin metal threaded end of said housing and electrically connected to one of said terminals, and a screw with a projecting head electrically connected to the other terminal and holding a plate of insulation over the end of said metal cap, said terminals being electrically insulated from each other by said housing and said plate 01' insulation.

5. Socket means for receiving a pair of substantially parallel symmetrically spaced apart platelike plug terminalscomprising, in combination, a pair of tubular terminals longitudinally slotted to provide spaced apart contact faces for individually receiving therebetween said plug ter- 20 cap fitting over the minals, and means mounting said tubular terminals in staggered relation with the slots therein on adjacent sides such that said plug terminals can be substantially symmetrically located there 6. Socket means for receiving a pair of substantially parallel symmetrically spaced apart platelike plug terminals comprising, inrcom-bination, a pair of tubular terminals longitudinally slotted to provide spaced apart contact faces for individually receiving therebetween said plug terminals, means mounting said tubular terminals in staggered relation with the slots therein on adjacent sides such that said plug terminals can be substantially symmetrically located therein, and guide means including substantially parallel symmetrically spaced apart apertures aligned endwise with said slots fol-individually guiding said plug terminals thereinto.

HAROLD H. CLAYTON. 

